


Fear of Falling

by GoringWriting



Series: Cap's Musical Notes [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 09:55:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21318268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting
Summary: When Tony finds out his boyfriends are moving to New York his carefully crafted life comes crashing down.Based on the Song "Mine" By Taylor Swift
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Cap's Musical Notes [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1487774
Comments: 7
Kudos: 233





	Fear of Falling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fearlesslexi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fearlesslexi/gifts).

“Hey baby,” Steve says smiling through the camera on the laptop, Tony can see Bucky in the background fighting with one of their spare rolling chairs.

“Hi boys. Sooooooo what’s that good news you wanted to tell me?” Tony asks softly, not wanting to wake Rhodey in his room.

“A gallery owner saw some of Steve’s work. They’re going to carry some of his work and in exchange for exclusive access to his work they agreed to pay relocation and give him a very generous stipend,” Bucky says grinning like a maniac.

“That’s amazing!” Tony says mirroring the smile. Steve has been wanting this so long and he wouldn’t let Tony help them.

“That’s not all!” Steve says excitedly.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, Bucky got accepted into his top school on a full ride!”

“Oh my god I’m so proud of you both,” Tony says.

“You ready for the last surprise?”

“What?”

“We’re both moving to New York!!!!!” they say in unison and Tony feels his stomach drop. If they are moving to New York that means they’ll be able to make their relationship more serious. Long distance had been perfect, when they were long distance Tony didn’t have to worry about there being expectations.

Less ways for him to fuck up.

Less chances for him to lose them.

“Babe?” Steve asks and Tony jerks out of his thoughts.

“Sorry, that’s great news. I was just wondering how we’re going to celebrate when you get here,” Tony says forcing a smile.

“I can think of a couple of things Doll,” Bucky says licking his lips.

“Yeah? I’d definitely show you boys a good time,” Tony says with a grins.

“We’ll let you get to sleep. The gallery is flying us down to New York on Friday and we can see the facilities and stuff and they’re putting us up in a hotel,” Bucky says.

“Friday? That...that’s so soon. I can't wait," Tony says and blows them a kiss as they sign off and Tony runs into Rhodey's room.

"Rhodey! Rhodey! Wake up I need you," Tony says and his friend sits up in bed.

"Tones? What's the matter?"

"Steve and Bucky are moving to New York!"

"That's awesome…?"

"No! It's horrible!"

"Go put on some coffee. I'll put on some pants and we'll talk about this in the kitchen," Rhodey says and Tony goes and does as told.

"Okay, so Steve and Bucky are moving down here. Explain the issue," Rhodey says coming in.

“This will be horrible. They’ll see how messed up I am and leave me...Love never lasts…” Tony says and drops his head onto the table and he feels Rhodey run his fingers calmingly through Tony’s hair. 

“Tony those boys are head over heels in love with you. Bucky applied only to schools in New York in order to be near you. Steve sent his sample works to galleries only in New York in order to be with you. Short of extreme circumstances I don’t think you’re getting out of this relationship,” Rhodey says.

“But you know better than anyone how fucked up I am. How fucked up my view of love and relationships are,” Tony says.

“But I also know that if you see a dog on the street you have to pet it. I know you build birdhouses when you’re stressed and I know you give skin to skin care to the babies in the hospital. We’ve fostered so many kittens in this apartment we may as well adopt one,” Rhodey says and Tony gives him a soft smile.

“But…”

“Tony, you are not Howard. The man would even make Mother Teresa hate him. He has no idea how to treat people. You are too sweet to be anything like him and they know what a good thing they have. You are quite the catch. Also, everything you said can be solved with honest communication and teamwork. I know you and from what you’ve told me they seem to be good men. They’ll look past any issue you have to work through it. They won’t let you to run away without an explanation without trying to fix it,” Rhodey says.

“But…”

“Tony please, just tell them about Howard and about how he treated your mom and you. They will understand. They’ll help you,” Rhodey says.

“Thanks Rhodey,” Tony says and goes into his room to get some sleep.

A few days later finds Tony on the street outside of the building that Steve and Bucky are set to be moving into that day. He just finished setting up the furniture and stuff Steve and Bucky had sent ahead. He had been so excited to do something for them, “Tony, calm down, they’ll love it. They’ll like,” Tony says pacing up and down the street.

“Tony!” He hears and looks up to see Bucky’s pickup truck and their bikes in the bed in the back and Steve is leaning out of the passenger window and waving at them,

“Hi!” Tony says waving his hand and grinning a big smile. The car slows to a stop and both men are out of it quicker than anything and Tony finds himself practically being bent over with the force of the kiss they plant on him.

“Took you guys long enough to get here,” Tony says kissing each man individually when he finally catches his breath from the last kiss.

“Blame Stevie Doll. I wanted to get here faster but he wouldn’t let me go over the speed limit,” Bucky says.

“We could have crashed and then what would have happened? We would be dead or in the hospital all because you can’t keep it in your pants long enough to follow proper speed laws,” Steve says and Tony smiles as he feels the blonde begin to play with his hair. It had been a while since Tony has been able to feel them touch him. Having moved to New York shortly after the three of them had graduated high school.

“Yeah, and then we wouldn’t be able to break in your brand new bed together,” Tony says grinning suggestively.

“Sold,” Bucky says and slings Tony over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

“Uh...Wintermint? What are you doing?” Tony asks.

“I know you, you would take the stairs excruciatingly slowly just to torture me,” Bucky says and Tony huffs out a laugh and watches Steve carry some of their stuff in.

“I hope you don’t mind...I set up your furniture for you,” Tony says when he hears the key turning in the lock.

“What did we ever do to deserve you?” Tony hears Bucky mumble as they bring him inside. He hears Steve drop their stuff and follow them into the bedroom.

“Wow...The place looks fantastic Doll. Thank you,” Steve says as Bucky drops him onto the bed.

“Okay, you got me here caveman. What’s the plan?” Tony asks and watches Steve fiddling with the dresser.

“Tony?” Steve asks turning to look at him.

“Yeah?” 

“Why don’t you have a drawer?” Steve asks frowning.

They want him to have a drawer here? Like an actual boyfriend? But...what if they fight and Tony gets kicked out? All his stuff will be lost forever because he would never be able to face them again and he would never have the guts to send Rhodey to go get them.

“Tony? Doll? You don’t have to have a drawer if you don’t want one,” Bucky says and god does Tony want one. But he also doesn’t want one. God he wishes his brain would make sense sometimes.

“I don’t have a drawer because you two have too much stuff. I swear you have more clothes than Pepper and she has clothes for three different lives,” ah humor, his favorite defense mechanism.

“Oh if that’s all,” Steve says and grabs the stuff from one of the drawers on his side and hurls it into the closet.

“But that’s not fair, now you have less space than Bucky does,” Tony says as Bucky gets off the bed and goes over and does the same with one of his.

“There two drawers a pop. All even Steven,” Bucky says and Steve groans at the old joke. 

“Thanks,” Tony says worrying his hands at the bottom of his T-Shirt. How is he going to do this. He still hasn’t brought all his belongings to Rhodey’s apartment and he’s been living there for over a decade. The idea of losing the stuff that are important to him when he inevitably fucks up his friendship too much for him to handle without falling into a panic attack.

“Doll?” Steve asks and Tony forces a smile and kisses them, sex is an excellent distraction.

Two months into the relationship Tony is asleep in bed next to Bucky when he's awakened by Steve cursing from his art room. He looks at the clock, why would Steve be awake at 2:30 AM? Tony slides out of bed and goes to the room to find paint dripping down the wall.

“Steve baby?” Tony asks and pokes his head into the room.

“Oh hey Doll. Did I wake you?”

“No...I mean yes. Is everything okay?” Tony asks softly.

“Yeah...No...I’m having trouble thinking of what to do for the show next week. Natasha said she wanted a new style of work to showcase and I have no idea what to do for it," Steve says dragging the pencil across the canvas.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Tony says.

"I wouldn't know how you would. You always take off as soon as you can. You can't wait to get away from us," Steve says and Tony flinches. Steve seems to realize that what he said was out of line and opens his mouth but Tony cuts him off.

"Well I'm sorry but the less I'm around the two of you the longer it will be before you leave me!"

Steve starts to respond but Tony is already heading for the door. He can feel tears prickling in his eyes and he can hear Bucky groggily demanding to know what happened.

Tony runs out onto the street crying and he keeps walking away from the two men he loves more than anything.

"Tony!" Steve says and jogs in order to get in front of him.

“Just let me leave please...before I mess it up,” Tony says and Steve pulls him into his arms. Tony relaxes as he feels Bucky press against him from behind and wrap his arms around them.

"Talk to us Doll," Bucky says.

"I...Howard was not nice to my mom. They'd fight and he'd leave for the night and come back and smell like booze and perfume. He did it for years, and then one night...he never came back. He packed his bags. Began paying child support. I think the only reason he didn't fight for custody was because then he'd have to raise me. The only contact I had with him was the checks he'd send my mom and his will when he died, leaving everything to me. I don't want to be him. I don't want to be my mother either. Sobbing at the table because the man she thought she loved didn't care enough about her to stay. I don't want to lose you. But I know I'm a fuck up. Everything I touch gets poisoned. Everyday I wait for you two to realize that and leave me," Tony says and he feels Steve pull away.

This is it, Tony thinks to himself. This is where Steve realizes he's not worth his time and leaves. Tony braces himself for the goodbye. That's all he's ever known after all.

Tony keeps his eyes on the ground.

"Tony can you look at me... please?" Steve asks and Tony whimpers and lifts his head.

"Hey there. I missed those pretty brown eyes. Tony, I love you and I'm so sorry for what I said. That was uncalled for. I love you," Steve says and Tony looks at him and smiles.

“You mean that?” 

“Of course Doll. I love you as much as I love Bucky, as much as I hope you love me.”

“What? How could I not love you?” Tony says.

“I’m just a skinny little art nerd from a small town in the middle of nowhere who happened to bulk up Senior year. You were always smarter, more outgoing, more attractive. I honestly didn’t know why you asked me to prom,” Steve says.

“It was when I saw you at work, defending that gay couple that was being harassed. I was so used to you being the quiet shy thing. Seeing that fire in you was something else entirely and once I saw it, I noticed it more and more,” Tony says kicking a piece of gravel.

“And I started out thinking I was being brought in because you felt sorry when I got drunk on that spiked punch at prom,” Bucky says.

“Do you want the truth Buck? It wasn’t spiked I just told you it was. I knew you would start acting drunk and finally confess so we could finally all be happy,” Steve says.

“Wow...we are a mess,” Tony says.

“You what that means Doll.”

“What?”

“That means we’re perfect for each other,” Steve says.

“But in the meantime, I think we should go to couple's counseling. To make us stronger,” Bucky says.

“Tony are you okay with that?”

“Yeah,” Tony says and smiles at them.

“Hey, I have an idea for my newest art piece, would you guys be willing to help me?” Steve asks as they walk back to the apartment.

“Of course...what are boyfriend’s for?” Tony asks.

“Well if we’re basing this on you then reaching the high shelves,” Bucky says.

“Watch it Barnes. I can go without sex. Can you?” Tony says and Bucky pales.

A few weeks later Tony is standing arm in arm with his two boyfriends. They’re standing in the gallery and watching as people examine the newest painting Steve produced.

It’s a picture of a heart. On one side Tony can make out half of his face. And on the third of the canvas he can see all the things he loves. His bots, his mother, coffee. So many things that he loves and including Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, and of course Steve and Bucky.

On the other side of the heart is Bucky’s face. On his side of the canvas is his bike and car. Steve and Tony are on his side along with plums and Peggy and many other things that Bucky loves.

The top third of the painting, is obviously Steve’s even though there is no picture of him there. It has Tony and Bucky. Peggy is there too, some of Steve’s earlier sketches from when he was fooling off. Tony even recognizes his arm in the painting with the drawing Steve put there on their first date. Steve’s bike is there and there is also a baseball.

On the bottom of the painting is a small title plate that reads ‘Portrait of the Heart of the Artist.’

“It’s amazing babe,” Bucky says.

“Yeah. I bet it’s going to make tons of money,” Tony says.

“I’m surprised that you said that. The painting was bought before it was even revealed. By a Mr. Edwin Rogers-Barnes,” Steve says and Tony’s head jerks up.

“That’s not right...I went by a completely different name,” Tony says.

“Yeah, but we figured if you were going to change your last name then we figured you should change it to ours,” Steve says and both of them pull away and Tony sees them get down on one knee.

“No way,” Tony says softly and Steve grins.

“Hey Doll, wanna get married?” Bucky asks.

“Tony, you’re literally the best thing in my life. I want the joy of waking up next to you and seeing a ring on each of our fingers. I want to see you in the morning when you haven’t had a chance to style you coffee. I want to be able to curl up with your feet in my lap and a good movie or a book. I want all my days to be with you and Bucky. So, what do you say?” Steve asks.

“Yes,” Tony says and both men climb up and scoop him up into their arms.

“Sorry for the cheap rings, I thought you might prefer I spend the money on a good honeymoon and a donation to the nearest hospital and a chance to hug the babies there,” Steve says showing him a ring that honestly looks good. Not that that matters because all he cares about is that it is the rings both men want to give him.

“It’s perfect,” Tony says and shows then the rings he had made for them.

“You two kind of beat me to the punch,” Tony says with a grin.

“God we really are perfect for each other,” Steve says with a laugh and they kiss.

Tony smiles. This is the best thing that’s ever been his.


End file.
